Shoe positioning and clamping jacks



April 1952 A. CROWELL 3,030,625

SHOE POSITIONING AND CLAMPING JACKS Filed Sept. 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Leo A Crowell By his Attorney A ril 24, 1962 A. CROWELL 3,030,525

SHOE POSITIONING AND CLAMPING JACKS F- lea Sept. 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 116 'y 130m 1/2 136 [43 .II 150153 108 x 1 0 [06 158 April 1962 L. A. CROWELL 3,030,625

SHOE POSITIONING AND CLAMPING JACKS Filed Sept. 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April ,.1962 A. CROWELL I 3,030,625

SHOE POSITIONING AND CLAMPING JACKS Filed Sept. 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3,030,625 SHQE PiTi9NlNG AND CLAMPING JACKS Lee A. Crowell, Salem, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 8, 196%), Ser. No. 54,671 11 Claims. (Cl. 1-137) This invention relates to machines which are of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,157,688, granted October 26, 1915, on an application filed in the name of Lester L. Glidden and which are used to attach heels to shoes by outside nailing, and more specifically to an improved jack which may be readily incorporated in a machine of the above type in place of the jack commercially used in said machine and by the use of which shoes mounted on geometrically graded lasts may have heels quickly and effectively attached to them.

In the use of the above-mentioned machine, which is referred to in the trade as the Heel Loading and Attaching Machine, the post of the jack is journaled on a power operated plunger movable in a vertical rectilinear path, said post being movable on said plunger between a Work loading and unloading position on the one hand and vertical heel attaching position on the other hand. The post has carried by it a last pin which receives the thimble of the arithmetic last bearing the shoe, said jack being adapted, upon downward movement of the plunger to force the heel seat of the shoe on a last mounted on the jack against a heel, which is mounted in a heel gage or form, preparatory to driving nails into the heel and the heel seat of the shoe. The conventional Heel Loading and Attaching Machine has its last pin mounted on the jack post for free movement lengthwise and widthwise of the shoe, the shoe being positioned on the jack post, which is swung to a fixed heel attaching position in the machine, by the use of a separate back gage and being positioned widthwise on the jack partly by the use of said back gage and partly by the operator. in the above machine the heel form is so positioned that irrespective of its size the rear median portion of the heel cavity of the form is located in a common fixed vertical reference line of the machine, the nailing die of the machine also being positioned in a fixed position below the form.

In attaching heels to shoes mounted on geometrically graded lasts, the lasts are positioned upon a last pin fixed to a post of the jack and the last is oriented on said pin by hereinafter described interengaging port-ions of the last and the jack post. Since the distance between the axis of the thimble hole of the geometrically graded last and the rear end of the heel plate of the last varies in lasts of dilferent sizes and the heel attaching position of the jack post is constant, it is necessary in the present machine initially to adjust the jack post in the machine lengthwise of the shoe mounted on it in operating upon shoes of different sizes in order that the rear ends of the heel plates of the lasts upon which said shoes are mounted shall be moved into a constant relation to the rear end of the heel in the heel form of the machine.

With the foregoing considerations in view the illustrative machine, in accordance with a feature of the pres ent invention, is provided with means for facilitating initial adjustment of the jack on the powered plunger lengthwise of the shoe on the jack to different heel attaching positions in accordance with the distances between the axes of the thimble holes of the last and the rear ends of the heel plates of the lasts respectively so that irrespective of the size of the last, and accordingly the shoe mounted on it, the rear end of the heel plate of the last will always bear a constant relation with the rear end of the heel in the heel form.

In order to position the geometrically graded last quick- 3,030,625 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 ly and accurately on the jack the last pin or spindle has an enlarged spherical end portion which has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of an inner cylindrical face of the thimble of the last which face forms the thimble hole of said last. Secured to the upper face of the back cone of the last is a positioning plate having a planar upper face and having forward lateral shoulders which, irrespective of whether the last is a right or a left, are positioned equal distances at opposite sides of a heightwise median plane of the heel seat of the last.

The post of the jack has a planar bottom face beyond which the last pin projects and which is adapted to be engaged by the planar upper face of the positioning plate of the last, and has a flexible finger which, in accordance with a feature of the invention, is adapted to be sprung from its normal position on the jack post by the action against it of a rear lip portion of the positioning plate as permitted by the free swinging movement of the last on the spherical portion of the last pin as it is mounted on said pin, the arrangement being such that the flexible finger, after being released by the lip portion, springs below said lip portion and serves to held the rear end of the positioning plate of the last snugly against the bottom planar face of the jack post.

In order to orient and position the last, upon which the shoe is mounted, about the axis of the last pin after the upper face of the positioning plate of the last has engaged the bottom planar face of the jack post, said post is provided with an abutment which is fixed to the post and is adapted to be engaged by one of the lateral shoulders of the positioning plate of the last, and is also provided with a powered lever, which is movable in response to movement of the jack post from its loading and unloading position to its heel attaching position and is adapted to be forced against the other lateral shoulder of the positioning plate causing said one shoulder to be forced against said abutment, said abutment and said powered lever being adapted to position the last on the last pin of the jack post with the heightwise median plane of the heel seat of the last arranged in the heightwise median plane of the heel in the heel form. In order that the last positioned on the jack post shall be rigidly secured to said post with the planar face of its positioning plate in engagement with the bottom planar face of the jack post, there is mounted on said post in accordance with another feature of the invention a retaining lever adapted to be pressed against the front face of the positioning plate of the last with a force having vectors extending rearwardly and heightwise of the ast.

The present invention consists in the above novel features and in novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration, said invention being fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

-In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a view showing in perspective the illustrative jack incorporated in a heel attaching machine of the general type disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent No. 1,157,688, a post of the jack being arranged in its loading and unloading position;

FIG. 2 shows the jack of the machine in its heel attaching position in the process of forcing the heel seat of a shoe mounted upon a geometrically graded last against a composite heel which is to be attached to the shoe by outside nailing, the figure also showing in dash lines the jack in its loading and unloading position with the shoe presented thereto;

FIG. 3 is an enlarge perspective view of the lower end of the jack as viewed from the side opposite that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a view on the line IV-IV of FIG. 2 illusof the shoe during a separate trimming operation being.

shown in dash lines;

FIG. 6 is a view showing the vertical median outlines of the heel ends of shoes which are of different sizes and are mounted on geometrically graded lasts and which have been positioned in the machine above a heel carrying form by the use of the present jack; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic fluid pressure diagram for use in describing the operation of the illustrative machine.

The illustrative machine, which comprises a jack 2%) having alast' spindle or pin 22, is disclosed with reference to attaching rubber heels 24 and their associated base lifts 26, collectively referred to as composite heels, to heel seats28 (FIG. of outsoles 3d of mens shoes 32 which are-mounted on geometrically graded lasts 34.

The geometrically graded last 34 is disclosed in detail in United States Letters Patent No. 1,948,547, granted February 27, 1934, on an application tiled in the name of Lawrence E. Topham and comprises a thimble 36 (FIGS; 2, 4 and 6) having an axis 38 and a heel seat 44) formed by a heel plate 42 against which attaching nails 44 are clinched. The nails 44 are driven into the work by drivers 46 which travel in passages 48 of a nailing die 50 (FIGS; 1 and2) of the machine.

Lasts 34 of different sizes have the rear ends 42a (FIGS. 2' and 5) oftheir heel seat plates 42 and accordingly their heel seats spaced different distances D (FIG. 2 respectively from the axes 38 of the thimbles 36 of the lasts, the greater the size of the last the greater being this distance. The thimble 36 is cylindrical in form and: has. a cylindrical inner face 36a defining what is commonly referred to as the thimble hole of the last. Firmly secured to the upper faced the back cone of the last 34 is apositioning plate 54 which, as will appear later, is. used to orient the last upon the last spindle or pin 22 which has a spherical end' portion 22a, said plate having formed init a hole 56 (FIGS. 4 and 6) which registers with the upper end of the thimble 36 of the last. The positioning plate 54, which has a planar upper face 54a, may be considered part of the last 34 and is disclosed in detail in United States Letters Patent No. 2,806,233, granted September 17, 19 57,. on an application. filed in the name of Arthur R. Hubbard et al.

As explained in Patent No. 2,806,233, right and left geometric lasts 34 have the center lines 58 (FIG. 4) of their foreparts, which center lines extend between the tipof the toe end of the bottom of the last and the axis 38 of the thimble 36, disposed at equal angles alpha arranged at opposite sides of a vertical median plane 60 of the heel seat 40 of the last, this plane including a line extending between the rear end 42a of the heel plate 42 of the last and the axis 38 of the thimble 36. The positioning plates 54 of the right and left lasts 34 have front and rear pairs of parallel planar shoulders or faces 62, 64 respectively, said plates being so located on the upper faces on the 'back cones of the right and left lasts that the front shoulders are parallel to and are spaced equal distances from the center lines 58 of the foreparts of the right and left lasts and the rear shouldersare parallel to and are spaced equal distances from the vertical median plane 60 of the heel seats of the lasts. It will he noted that the heel seats of right and left lasts positioned in the machine are substantially coincident and that the toe ends of the right and left lasts swing laterally away from each. other as best shown in FIG. 4. It will be noted that the vertical median planes 60' of the right and left lasts positioned in the machine lie in a fixed vertical reference plane of the machine. The positioning plate 54 of the last 34 has at its rear end an undercut lip 66 the purpose of which will appear presently.

The illustrative machine, only a portion of which is shown, is generally similar to the machine disclosed in Patent No. 1,157,688 and has a carriage 68 (FIG. 1) in which is mounted a rubber heel receiving form 70 which is generally similar to the form disclosed in' United States Letters Patent No. 1,365,802, granted January 18, 1921, on an application filed in the name of John F. Standish. The machine comprises a bracket 72 which is secured by nuts 74 to upstanding posts 76 forming part of a main frame 78 of the machine.

. from its attaching position to the left (FIG. 1) against the action of a spring (not shown) over the upper surface of the bracket 72 and over an upper surface of the multiple nailing die 56?, which is positioned in and is secured to the bracket, in response to movement of a loader block (not shown) until it engages a stop (not shown) secured to the guide rod 89 whereby to clear an upper surface of the nailing die so that the nails 44, then in passages of the loader block, may be dumped from the block into the passages 48 of the nailing die 50, said carriage being returned by the abovernentioned spring to its heel attaching position against a second stop (not shown) as the loader block is moved back to a nail receiving station (not shown). Mounted for vertical movement in the passages 48 of the nailing die 50 are the drivers 46 which are securedto a driver head (not shown) and serve to drive the nails 44, which have been dumped into the passages of the die, into the work.

The carriage 68 has an undercut guideway 82- for receiving the form 70 which comprises a bottom plate 84 I having openings 86 and, when the carriage is in an attaching position, is arranged in substantial engagement when the upper surface of the nailing die 50 with its openings in register with the passages 48 of said nailing die; The form 70 has a cavity 88 adapted fittingly to receive and to locatethe rubber heel 44 in a predetermined position, the position of said form in the guideway 82 of the carriage 68 being quickly and effectively established by engagement of a spring-pressed plunger 9i) which is slidingly mounted in a bore 91 of the carriage and a bore (not shown) of said form. The rubber heel receiving form 70 has secured to it by screws 92 an upper form 94 provided with a cavity 96 for positioning on the carriage 68 the base lift 26 associated with the rubber heel 24. It will be noted that the vertical elements 98 (FIG. 6) defining the rear ends of the heel cavities 88 of the forms 70, which are adapted to receive heels of different sizes, lie in a common vertical line. Accordingly it is desirable that the rear ends of the feather lines 100 of shoes which are of different sizes and are mounted on the jack 20 arranged in its heel attaching position in the machine, shall, for a fixed extension of the outsole 30 beyond the feather line of the shoe, lie in a fixed vertical line 102 which is parallel to and'is spaced slightly from the line of the vertical elements 98 of the cavities 88 of the form 70.

The jack 26 comprises a post 164 journaled on a bearing pin 106 (FIGS. 1 and 2) mounted in bores 108 of a pair of depending bosses 110 of a carrier slide 112 which is initially adjustable in a guideway 114 formed in a housing portion 116 of a plunger 118 slidingly movable along a vertical guideway 120 of the main frame 78 of the machine. The carrier slide 112 has formed in it a slot 122 (FIG. 2) for receiving a-headed bolt 126 which extends upward through abore in the housing portion 116 of the plunger 118 and onto which is threaded a stepped sleeve 128 having mounted on it a handle 13% provided with a pin 130a fitting selectively in one of a plurality of external grooves 132 formed on an enlarged lower portion of the sleeve. The handle 130 is secured to the sleeve 128 by a nut 134, said handle and accordingly the internally threaded sleeve 128 being rotated clockwise, as viewed from above, to bind the carrier slide 112 to the housing portion 116 of the plunger 118.

The jack post 104, which has the last pin or spindle 22 secured rigidly to it, may be swung manually between its dash-line or loading and unloading position (FIG. 2) and its full-line or heel attaching position upon the bearing pin 166, said heel attaching position being established by the engagement of the upper face 136 (FIG. 2) of the post with the bottom of the carrier slide 112. In order to hold the jack post 104 in its heel attaching position on the one hand and its loading and unloading position on the other hand the post has mounted on it a spring-pressed pin 138 having a V-shaped upper end which bears in a notch 140 formed in the bottom of one of the bosses 110 of the carrier slide 112, said pin being depressible to release the jack post for movement from one operating position to another.

As above explained, the vertical elements 93 which define the rear ends of the different sized cavities 88 of the form 70 are arranged in the same vertical line of the machine when the carriage 68 is in its heel attaching position beneath the jack 2%. It will also be noted that the distance D between the axis 38 of the thimble 36 of the last 34 and the rear end of the heel seat 40* or of the heel seat plate 42 of the last will vary in lasts of different sizes, the greater the size of the last the greater being this distance. With the foregoing considerations in view and having in mind the fact that the jack post 104, which is mounted on the carrier slide 112, assumes the same attaching position for any one initial setting of the slide, it will be clear that in order to accommodate work of different sizes the rear ends of the feather lines 100 of the shoes in their heel attaching positions must lie in the above-mentioned fixed vertical reference line 102 which is also arranged in the fixed vertical reference plane of the machine. Accordingly, it is necessary to adjust the carrier slide 112 forwardly or rearwardly on the plunger 118 preparatory to operating upon work of a size different from that which has just been operated upon. To provide for this adjustment the housing portion 116 of the plunger 118 has secured to it by screws 142 a bracket 144 having fixed to it a bearing pin 146 upon which a disk 148 is mounted, and secured in predetermined positions to the disk are abutments or abutment pins .150 of different lengths, the forward ends or end faces 150a of said abutment pins being located graduated distances from the forward face of said disk. The disk 148 may be initially rotated on the bearing pin 146 to a desired operating position or setting in which any one of the end faces 150:: of the abutment pins 150 is in axial alinement with a stop or stop screw 152 adjustably mounted on an angle plate 154 secured by screws 156 to the forward end of the carrier slide 112. The disk 148 has a projection carrying a spring pressed stud 158 which is adapted to fit in any one of a plurality of recesses 159 formed in the bracket 144, the recesses being numbered in order that the operator may readily move the proper abutment pin 15%) into axial alinement with the stop screw 152 to accommodate the work on hand.

The last pin 22 may be defined as comprising a cylindrical shank portion and a spherical end portion 22a the diameter of said shank portion being substantially less than the diameter of the spherical end portion and an axis of said cylindrical shank portion intersecting a center of said spherical end portion. The disk 148 which is mounted for rotary adjustment on the bearing pin 146 carried by the plunger 148 may be described as having a plurality of abutments or abutment pins 150 having faces 150a which are arranged in size graded positions lengthwise of the path of movement of the carrier slide 6 112 of the jack 20 on the housing portion 116 of the plunger 118.

In order initially to position the jack post 104 on the plunger 118 in accordance with the size of the work to be operated upon it is necessary to rotate the handle counterclockwise, as viewed from above, to release as above described, the carrier slide 112 for forward and rearward movement along the guideway 114 of the housing portion 116 of the plunger 118, said slide after being released being moved forward slightly. The disk 148 is then rotated on the bearing pin 146 to a position in which the proper abutment pin is in axial alinement with the stop screw 152, the disk being held in its adjusted position by the engagement of the spring-pressed stud 158 in one of the recesses 159 of the bracket 144. The carrier slide 112 is then moved rearward along the guideway 114 of the housing portion 116 of the plunger 118 until the stop screw 152 carried by said slide engages the end face 150a of the axially alined abutment pin 150, the handle 130 then being swung clockwise, as viewed from above, to secure the carrier slide to said housing portion of the plunger.

The jack post 104 has a flat or planar lower face 160 (FIG. 3) and has at the rear end of said face a vertical recess 162 for receiving a flexible steel finger or latch 164 the upper end of which is secured by a screw 166- to said post, said finger being provided at its lower end with deflecting and retaining faces 168, 170 respectively which may be described as forming a wedge shaped'portion of the finger. The face 160 of the jack post may be referred to as an abutment face.

The jack post 104 also has formed in it a recess 172 (FIGS. 2 and 3) in which an abutment 174 is secured by a screw 176 and has a bifurcated portion carrying a bearing pin 178 (FIGS. 1 and 3) upon which a lever 180 is journaled, said lever being constantly urged to an open or retracted position shown in FIG. 3 by a spring 182. As will be hereinafter explained, the lever 180 is power operated against one of the shoulders 64 of the positioning plate 54 of the last 34 mounted on the jack 20 to force the other of said shoulders against the abutment 174 and thus to orient the last 34 about the axis 38 of the thimble 36 of the last mounted on the last pin of the jack post. Secured to the jack post 164 by screws 184 is a pair of angle plates 186 bored to receive a bearing pin 188 on which is journaled a retaining lever 190 having a lower wedge-shaped end 190a and an upper cam portion 190b, said lever being constantly urged clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 by a leaf spring 122 which is secured at its upper end to the jack post and bears against the front of said lever.

The last 34 hearing the shoe 32 is manually presented to the jack 20 then in its loading and unloading position shown in FIG. 2, the last being held substantially horizontal and the spherical end portion 22a of the last pin 22 being engaged by the upper end of the cylindrical inner face 36a of the thi-mble 36.

As the operator, through pres-sure applied by the thimble 36 of the last 32 against the last pin 22, causes the jack 20 to be swung backward to its vertical heel attaching position, he lifts the shoe 32 slightly and accordingly the last 34 causing an upper portion of the lip 66 of the positioning plate 54 of the last to press against the deflecting face 168 of the wedge portion of the flexible finger 164 with the result that the lower end of said finger is flexed rearward with relation to the jack post 104 as shown in dash lines (FIG. 2) and the cylindrical inner face 36a of the thimble 36 slides along the spherical end portion 22a of the last pin 22 until the planar upper face 54a of the positioning plate 54 of the last engages the planar bottom face 160 of the jack post 104. At this time the jack post 104 will have been moved substantially to its heel attaching position and the lip 66 of the positioning plate 54 of the last 34 will have left the deflecting face 168 of the lower wedge portion of the flexible finger164' thuspermitting said finger to'swing counterclockwise (FIG. 2) with relation to the jack post to a'ret'aining'position: in which the upper or retaining face 1700f the wedge-shaped lower end of the finger underlies and engages a lower portion of the lip and'thus holds the rear end of the positioning plateof the last against the bottom face 160 of the jack.

It has been found that by providing a last pin 22 having a spherical end portion 22a the shoe 32 may be quickly and effectively mounted on the jack post 104 asabove described by applying a slight'rearward and upward pressure against the work. 7

When theilast'is provided with a conventional last pin (not shown) having a cylindrical portion, which is'of substantial width, extending from the face 160 of the jack post 104 and adapted slidingly to be engaged by the cylindrical inner face 36a of the thimble of the last, the last has a tendency to cramp upon the last pin, especially where the tolerance between the pin and the thimble of the. last is low as it usually has to be in order accurately to position the laston the jack. In operating upon geometric work where the last is positionedlengthwisc in'the machine by the interengagement of the conventional last pin and the thimble, considerable effort is required on the part of the operator to place the last upon-and to remove it from the jack. Moreover, in geometric work it is desirable that the upper planar face 542: of the positioning plate54 of the last 34 shall always engage the bottom planar face 160 of the jackpost 104 in order that theheel seat of the shoe shall be arranged horizontally with respect to the nailing die 50'and this is made possible in the present construction since the spherical portion 22a of the last pin 22 is insnug engagement with the inner cylindrical'surface 36a of the thimble 36 and yet the last can be turned freely about the spherical portion of the last pin to insure that the planar upper face 54a of. the posi tioning plate 54 of the last 32 may be forced snugly against the bottom planar face 160 of the jack post 104.

Justbefore the jack post 104' has been swung rearward to its upright position shown in FIG. 2 it is desirable that the last 34 and accordingly the shoe 32 mounted on'it shall be oriented about the last pin 22' and that. the last shall be secured rigidly to the bottom planar face' 360' of said post. Accordingly the orienting and retaining levers 180, 190 are simultaneously swung. clockwise and counterclockwise respectively by fluid pressure means which will now be described.

Secured by a nut 194 to a plate 196 fixed to the jack post 104 is a cylinder 198 and slidable in a bore 2000f said cylinder is a piston 202 having. secured to it a rod 204 which is normally held in a raised idle position shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and'7 by a spring 206, the lower end of s'aidrod acting as a stop'for the orienting lever 180 which a above explained is constantly urged counterclockwise (FIG. 3) by the action of the spring 182. Also secured to the jack post 104 by a nut. 208is a cylinder 210 provided with a bore 211 having slidingly mounted in it a piston 21 2 which carries a rod 214 normally held in its raised idle position in the cylinder by a spring 216, the lower end of this rod bearing against an arm 218 journaled on a bearing pin of a flanged bearing thimble 220 having an internal bore into which the screw 166 is threaded, said screw serving to secure the flexible-finger 164 in the slot 162 and also to clamp the flanged hearing thimble against the jack post. The free end of the arm 218 carries a roll 222 which engages the cam portion 19012 of the retaining lever 190, which is, swung clockwise (FIG. 2) about the bearing pin 188 response to downward movement of the rod 214 and clockwise movement of the arm 218. In order to insure that the roll 222 shall not run off the end of the cam portion 19% of the retaining lever 190 when the rod 214 is depressed and there is no work in the machine, a stop screw 224 is secured to the jack post 104.

The cylinders 198, 210 have ports 226, 228 respectively which are open to the bores 200,211 of the cylinders and are connected by a line 230 to a port 232 of a solenoid valve 234 provided with a bore 236. Movable in the bore 236' of the solenoid valve 234 is a solenoid slide 238= which comprises a spool and is normally urged to its- Surrounding a portion of the solenoid slide 238 is acoil 24% forming part of a circuit 250. energized in re-- sponse to the closing of a normally open switch 252 comprising a plunger 254. The jack post 104 has mount ed on it a cam 256. When the jack post 104 is in its dashline loading and unloading position shown in FIG. 2 the switch 252 is open, the coil248 is deenergized and the orienting and retaining levels 180, 190 respectively are in theirropen or retracted positions.

Just before the jack post 104 reaches its vertical or:

heel attaching position thecam 256 presses the plunger 254 across the terminals of the switch 252 with the result that the circuit 250 is closed and the solenoid slide 238 is moved to its dash-line position and accordingly high pressure air in the line 246 is available, through means above described, for faces 258, 260 of the pistons 202, 212. As above explained, clockwise and counterclockwise movements (FIG. 3) of the orienting and retaining members 180, 190 respectively causes the last 34 bearing the shoes 32 to-be oriented about the last pin 22 and the wedge shaped end 190a of the lever 190 to' be forced against a front face 262 of the positioning plate 54 which at this time is in engagement with the bottom face of the jack post 104 whereby to hold or clamp the forward end of the positioning plate of the last secure- 1y against the bottom face of said post.

After the shoe 32 has been positioned in the machine the machine operates through its cycle as disclosed in Patent No. 1,157,688 causing the plunger 118 to be lowcred with the result that the heelseat 28 of the shoe 32 is pressed against the composite heel, which comprises the base lift 26 and the rubber lift 24, and the-nails 44 a'redriven into the heel and the heel seat of the shoe to attach the heel to the shoe, the jack post 104 being raised at the end of said cycle.

The operator then swings the jack post 104 to its loading and unloading position shown in FIG. 1. As the jack post 104 swings forward the cam 256 is moved away from the plunger 254 of the switch 252 causing through mechanism above described the coil 248 of the solenoid 234 to be deenergized and accordingly the rods 204, 214 to be raised, the orienting and retaining levers 180, 190 being moved to their retracted positions by their associated springs 182, 192. After the last 34 hearing the shoe 32- has been released by thelevers 180, 190 the toe end of the last is tipped downwardly slightly, the last then being moved parallel to itself as the jack post 20 is swung forwardly thereby causing the lower end of the flexible finger 164 to be swung rearward on said post as the work is removed from the jack pin 22.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for attaching heels to: shoes which are mounted on geometrically graded lasts having respectively last pin receiving thimbles the axes of which are spaced graduated distances from the rear ends of the heel seats of the lasts in accordance with the sizes of said lasts, a powered plunger movable in a rectilinear path, a jack which is secured to the plunger and is slidingly mounted for initial adjustment on the plunger in a path disposed at right angles to said rectilinear path, means forreleasing the jack for adjustment on the plunger in said secondnamed path and forsecun'ng the'jack to the plunger, said jack comprising a stop, a post, a lastpin secured to the post and adapted to be slidingly engaged by the thimble of the last, and means for orienting the last on the last pin, and a plurality of abutments which are carried by the plunger and any one of which is adapted to be moved selectively into an operating position to be engaged by the stop of the jack in accordance with the size of the last to be accommodated whereby to facilitate adjustment of the jack on the plunger to insure that the rear end of the heel seat of the last mounted on the jack shall move in a fixed line irrespective of the size of the last.

2. In a machine for attaching heels to shoes which are mounted on geometrically graded lasts having respectively last pin receiving thimbles the axes of which are spaced graduated distances from the rear ends of the heel seats of the lasts in accordance with the sizes of said lasts, a powered plunger movable in a rectilinear path, a jack comprising a slide portion mounted for adjustment on the plunger, a stop secured to said slide portion, a post movable on said slide portion between a loading and unloading position and a heel attaching position which is constant with relation to the slide, a last pin fixed to the post and adapted to be slidingly engaged by the thimble of the last, and means for orienting the jack on the last pin, and a plurality of abutments which are carried by the plunger and any one of which is adapted to be moved selectively into an operating position to be engaged by the stop carried by the slide portion of the'jack in accordance with the size of the last to be accommodated whereby to adjust the jack on the plunger to insure that the rear end of the heel seat of the last mounted on the jack post in its heel attaching position shall move in a fixed line irrespective of the SiZe of the last.

3. In a heel attaching machine, a plunger mounted for movement in a rectilinear path, a jack comprising a slide portion which is mounted on the plunger for initial adjustment in a rectilinear path disposed at right angles to said first-named path, means for securing the initially adjusted slide portion of the jack to and for releasing it for adjustment relatively to the plunger, a jack post journaled on the slide portion of the jack for movement between a loading and unloading position and a constant heel attaching position with relation to said slide portion of the jack, a stop secured to said slide portion of the jack, a disk mounted for initial rotary adjustment upon said plunger, said disk having secured to it a plurality of abutment pins having faces which are arranged in sizegraded positions lengthwise of the path of movement of the slide portion of the jack on said plunger, said disk being rotated upon the plunger to move any one of the abutment pins selectively on the plunger to a predetermined operating position in which it is engaged by the stop, and means for retaining the disk in its selected setting on the plunger whereby to cause the stop operating against the active abutment pin to set the slide portion of the jack and accordingly the post carried by said slide portion in a predetermined operating position to accommodate the particular size of work on hand.

4. In a machine for operating upon shoes which are mounted on geometrically graded lasts each having a thimble provided with a cylindrical inner face and each having a positioning plate which is provided at its rear end with an undercut lip and which has at its opposite sides with a pair of shoulders spaced equal distances at opposite sides of a vertical median plane of the heel seat of the last, a jack which has an abutment face and has secured to it a last pin extending from said face and adapted to receive the thimble of the last and which has a flexible finger adapted to be flexed by the lip portion of the positioning plate of the last as the inner face of the thimble of the last slides onto the last pin and thereafter to snap in place against said lip to force the positioning plate of the last against the abutment face of the jack, and power operated means mounted on the jack and 10 adapted to cooperate with the shoulders of the plate to orient the last upon the last pin of the jack. 1

5. In a machine for operating upon shoes which are mounted on geometrically graded lasts each having a thimble provided with a cylindrical inner face and each having a positioning plate provided at its rear end with an undercut lip, a jack which has an abutment face and has secured to it a last pin extending from said face and including a spherical end portion adapted slidingly to receive the thimble of the last and which has a flexible finger adapted to be flexed by the lip portion of the positioning plate of the last as the inner face of the thimble of the last slides onto the last pin and thereafter to snap in place against said lip to force the positioning plate of the last against the abutment face of the jack, and power operated means for orienting the last upon said pin of the jack.

6. A machine for operating upon shoes mounted on geometrically graded lasts each having a thimble provided with a cylindrical inner face and each having a positioning plate which has a forward end, a rear end formed by an undercut lip, and a pair of shoulders spaced equal distances at opposite sides of a vertical median plane of a heel seat of said last, said machine comprising a jack which has an abutment face and has secured to it a last pin extending from said face and having a spherical end portion adapted slidingly to receive the thimble of the last and which has a flexible finger adapted to be flexed by said lip of the positioning plate of the last as the inner face of the thimble of the last slides onto the spherical end portion of the last pin and thereafter to snap in place against said lip to force the positioning plate of the last against the abutment face of the jack, power operated means mounted on the jack and adapted to cooperate with the shoulders of the positioning plate to orient the last upon the spherical end portion of the last pin of the jack, and power operated means carried by the jack and operative against the front end of the positioning plate of the last to clamp the thimble of said last against the spherical end of said pin and to clamp the positioning plate of the last against the abutment face of the jack.

7. In a heel attaching machine, a jack for supporting a last which has a thimble hole and has a positioning plate provided with a rear lip and with side shoulders spaced equidistant from a vertical median plane of a heel seat of the last, said jack comprising an abutment face, a last pin secured to the jack and projecting beyond said face of the jack and adapted to be received in the thimble hole of the last, a spring latch adapted to be displaced by the lip of the positioning plate as said last is placed on the jack with its thimble hole housing the jack pin and its positioning plate approaching the abutment face of the jack, said latch after it has been displaced being adapted to snap back against said lip and to force the rear end of the positioning plate against the abutment face of the jack, power operated means cooperating with the shoulders of the positioning plate to orient the last on the jack, and power operated means operative against the front end of the positioning plate for clamping said plate against the abutment face of the jack.

8. In a heel attaching machine, a jack for receiving a last which has a thimble hole and has a positioning plate provided with a rear lip and with side shoulders spaced equidistant from a vertical median plane of a heel seat of the last, said jack comprising an abutment face, a last pin which is fixed to the jack and projects beyond said abutment face and which terminates in an enlarged spherical end and is adapted to be received slidingly in the thimble hole of the last, a spring latch adapted to be displaced by one portion of the lip of said positioning plate as the last is placed on the jack with its thimble hole slidingly engaging the spherical end of the jack pin and as the positioning plate approaches the abutment face of the jack, said latch after it has been displaced being adapted to leave said one portion of the lip and to snap back against clamping a face defining said thim-ble hole of the last against the spherical portion of the last pin and for clamp" g the positioning plate against the abutment face oftlie jack.

9. In a machine for operating upon-shoes, a jack having an abutment face and having a pin projecting from said face and adapted 'slidin'gly to receive a thimble of a geo metrically graded last provided with a positioning plate having a pair of shoulders arranged equidistant from a vertical median plane of a heel seat of the last, an abutment secured to the jack, a lever movable on the jack and adapted to be engaged by one of said shoulders of the positioning plate and to move the other of said shoulders of said plate against said abutment whereby to orient the last on the last pin of the jack with its vertical median plane arranged in fixed reference plane of the machine, and means operative against the front and rear ends of the positioning plate to clamp said plate against said abutment face of the jack whereby to secure the oriented last againstmovement on the jack. 7 i

10. In a machine for operating upon shoes, a jack having an abutment face and having fixed to it a last pin projecting from said face and adapted to receive a thimble ofa geometrically graded last which is provided with a last positioning plate having a pair of shoulders arranged equal distances from a vertical median plane of a heel seat of the last, said jack being movable between a loading and unloading position and a heel attaching position, an abutment secured to the jack, a lever movable on the jack 12 and adapted to engage one of said shoulders of the positioning plate of the last and to move the other of said shoulders against said abutment whereby to orient the last on the last pin of the jack with the vertical median plane of the heel seat of the last arranged in a fixed reference plane of the machine, resilient means operative against the rear end of the positioning plate for forcing the rear portion of said plate against the abutment face of the jack, means operative against the front end of the positioning plate for positively clamping the front portion of said plate against the "abutment face of the jack, and means responsive to movement of the jack from its loading and unloading position to its heel attaching position for renderingsaid lever and said second-named means active to cause the "last to be oriented upon and to be Secured to the jack.

11. In a machine for operating upon shoes, a jack having an abutment face and having fixed to it a pin which projects from said face and is adapted to receive a thimble of a last provided with a positioning plate having shoulders arranged equal distances from a vertical median plane of a heel seat of the last, power operated means mounted on the jack and cooperating with the shoulders of said positioning plate to orient said last upon said pin, and power operated means mounted on the jack and cooperating with the front and rear ends of the positioning plate for securing said plate and accordingly the oriented last to the jack.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

